The following program discusses sensitive issues. 00:00:01.36\00:00:03.43 Parents are cautioned that some material 00:00:03.47\00:00:05.23 may be too candid for younger children. 00:00:05.27\00:00:07.40 Hello, welcome to Pure Choices. 00:00:40.47\00:00:42.77 My name is Brittany Hill-Morales, 00:00:42.80\00:00:44.14 and I'm your host for today's program. 00:00:44.17\00:00:46.31 We have a very great topic for you today. 00:00:46.34\00:00:49.11 We're talking about abortion, after the abortion. 00:00:49.14\00:00:53.21 But before we talk into this very sensitive 00:00:53.25\00:00:54.85 and important topic, let's pray. 00:00:54.88\00:00:57.72 Dear kind and most heavenly Father, 00:00:57.75\00:01:00.22 please help us as we're about to discuss 00:01:00.26\00:01:02.92 this very important topic, 00:01:02.96\00:01:04.29 and also to the viewers at home. 00:01:04.33\00:01:06.09 We love You and we praise Your name, 00:01:06.13\00:01:07.56 in Jesus' name, amen. 00:01:07.60\00:01:09.43 Amen. Amen. 00:01:09.46\00:01:11.57 So we have a very great panel with us today. 00:01:11.60\00:01:15.07 Over right beside me is Keith Hackle from Iowa. 00:01:15.10\00:01:19.31 We have over there on the couch, 00:01:19.34\00:01:21.68 two wonderful ladies, 00:01:21.71\00:01:23.04 Dajanae Anderson of Texas and Sabine Vatel of Michigan. 00:01:23.08\00:01:27.15 We are talking about abortion. 00:01:27.18\00:01:31.52 And we're not talking about 00:01:31.55\00:01:32.89 contemplating the before factor, 00:01:32.92\00:01:34.92 we're talking about after. 00:01:34.96\00:01:37.99 We're talking about that young lady who, 00:01:38.03\00:01:40.56 she already had the abortion, 00:01:40.60\00:01:43.16 may be she had it when she wasn't a Christian, 00:01:43.20\00:01:44.57 maybe she had it when she was a Christian. 00:01:44.60\00:01:46.87 And now, she is hearing about what it actually means 00:01:46.90\00:01:51.04 and she might have guilt, all these different things. 00:01:51.07\00:01:55.14 There's a lot that might be going on, 00:01:55.18\00:01:57.45 before we open up and discuss more, 00:01:57.48\00:02:02.08 one young lady who I'm close with, 00:02:02.12\00:02:04.65 she found out she was pregnant, 00:02:04.69\00:02:06.59 and it was very nerve wrecking for her. 00:02:06.62\00:02:09.52 She didn't tell anyone but the young man. 00:02:09.56\00:02:12.49 And they sat down and they discussed, 00:02:12.53\00:02:15.36 you know, I love you, you love me 00:02:15.40\00:02:17.23 but we're not ready to have children right now. 00:02:17.27\00:02:19.70 So she went to, 00:02:19.73\00:02:22.57 whoever she went to and she got the pill, 00:02:22.60\00:02:24.97 an abortion pill. 00:02:25.01\00:02:27.38 And she explained to me during that evening, 00:02:27.41\00:02:30.15 she literally felt like she was going to die, 00:02:30.18\00:02:34.88 based on whatever the pill was doing to her. 00:02:34.92\00:02:36.25 So she assumed that it was effective, 00:02:36.28\00:02:38.22 and a few months later 00:02:38.25\00:02:39.59 she was going through the same pregnancy symptoms, 00:02:39.62\00:02:43.29 and it was confirmed, she was still pregnant. 00:02:43.32\00:02:47.46 Even despite the fact that she went through all of that pain. 00:02:47.50\00:02:50.60 And her gentleman at that time said, 00:02:50.63\00:02:55.50 "Okay, well, guess we have to do another method 00:02:55.54\00:02:57.11 for the abortion." 00:02:57.14\00:02:58.54 And she was like, "No, 00:02:58.57\00:02:59.91 we're not going through this again. 00:02:59.94\00:03:01.28 I felt like I was about to die, we're not doing this." 00:03:01.31\00:03:04.18 And now, she has a beautiful boy 00:03:04.21\00:03:07.32 that's three-four years old. 00:03:07.35\00:03:09.88 And this is one of the factors 00:03:09.92\00:03:12.79 that happened after the abortion, 00:03:12.82\00:03:14.16 most people think when you do an abortion, 00:03:14.19\00:03:15.69 it's always successful. 00:03:15.72\00:03:17.09 There is no more, no child but sometimes you do it 00:03:17.13\00:03:20.33 and there is still a child. 00:03:20.36\00:03:22.50 So let's talk about that for may be just a few moments? 00:03:22.53\00:03:27.04 I believe that, I think there's been a lot of stories, 00:03:27.07\00:03:30.04 not a lot but many stories like that, 00:03:30.07\00:03:33.71 that we've heard about on, 00:03:33.74\00:03:36.44 there's different like documentaries 00:03:36.48\00:03:39.38 and shows and things like that, 00:03:39.41\00:03:41.68 that show I was a child that my mother tried to abort. 00:03:41.72\00:03:47.69 Or that my parents wanted to be aborted and now I'm here. 00:03:47.72\00:03:54.50 Sometime, many time, most times 00:03:54.53\00:03:57.17 that's really traumatic for the child, 00:03:57.20\00:03:59.67 either growing up knowing that as a truth 00:03:59.70\00:04:03.14 or later on finding out that, that was the reality. 00:04:03.17\00:04:07.64 And so there is a lot of healing 00:04:07.68\00:04:09.74 that has to take place with that individual 00:04:09.78\00:04:12.55 to understand that even if their biological parents 00:04:12.58\00:04:16.25 did not necessarily want them to live, 00:04:16.28\00:04:20.26 that God had a bigger plan, and God had a bigger purpose, 00:04:20.29\00:04:23.46 and your life is that much richer 00:04:23.49\00:04:27.06 because God actually transcended 00:04:27.10\00:04:31.50 the will of a human being which God doesn't always do. 00:04:31.53\00:04:36.64 But God transcended the will of a human being and allowed 00:04:36.67\00:04:39.97 because your life had more purpose 00:04:40.01\00:04:42.84 than your parents could understand at the time. 00:04:42.88\00:04:45.98 Wow, and you know, I'm struck with the relief of the... 00:04:46.01\00:04:50.02 I don't know if you said relief, 00:04:50.05\00:04:51.39 if you used that word but the relief of the mother 00:04:51.42\00:04:53.82 and I know I've heard stories, 00:04:53.86\00:04:55.62 at least one story of a young lady, 00:04:55.66\00:04:56.99 her testimony is actually that. 00:04:57.03\00:04:58.43 The testimony said I was, 00:04:58.46\00:05:00.00 and she was left actually with some scars, 00:05:00.03\00:05:01.60 and some disability as a result, 00:05:01.63\00:05:04.07 her mother tried abort her. 00:05:04.10\00:05:05.43 But I've never heard somebody 00:05:05.47\00:05:06.80 who was sorry that it didn't work, 00:05:06.84\00:05:09.20 which leads me to believe that most people would... 00:05:09.24\00:05:12.51 I hope that anyway that abortion is not desirable. 00:05:12.54\00:05:15.31 It's never the first choice 00:05:15.34\00:05:16.71 and it's something to be avoided. 00:05:16.75\00:05:18.78 I think life makes a way, God makes a way, 00:05:18.81\00:05:21.68 we believe but life is meant to be lived. 00:05:21.72\00:05:26.42 I just, I rejoice in hearing that story 00:05:26.45\00:05:29.52 and the fact that they could have tried a different method. 00:05:29.56\00:05:32.66 And she said, you know what, 00:05:32.69\00:05:34.03 we tried something and it didn't work out, 00:05:34.06\00:05:36.00 we just going to keep moving with this, 00:05:36.03\00:05:38.03 and so I think what we see in this story is God's hand, 00:05:38.07\00:05:43.37 His hand of protection, and to that as a young man, 00:05:43.41\00:05:47.81 that child grows into a young man and later a man, 00:05:47.84\00:05:51.41 it would be great for him to use 00:05:51.45\00:05:53.85 that as a source of direction and strength, 00:05:53.88\00:05:56.85 so I hope mom shares that story, 00:05:56.89\00:05:59.05 though it may be tough to tell, 00:05:59.09\00:06:01.62 "Hey, I tried to abort you at one time." 00:06:01.66\00:06:05.13 Because that could be used to say, 00:06:05.16\00:06:06.80 "Hey, God has a mission, a purpose for you, 00:06:06.83\00:06:10.47 where it could have been meant for evil, 00:06:10.50\00:06:13.23 God has turned this thing out for good." 00:06:13.27\00:06:15.64 And so that could be a motivator 00:06:15.67\00:06:17.51 to lead that young man would be great. 00:06:17.54\00:06:19.87 I think that's an excellent point. 00:06:19.91\00:06:21.94 Most of the time when we hear about a person 00:06:21.98\00:06:24.21 who has already had an abortion, 00:06:24.25\00:06:25.58 we think about the women, that's the main factor. 00:06:25.61\00:06:28.15 But sometimes there are these children 00:06:28.18\00:06:29.55 who have survived, 00:06:29.58\00:06:31.12 and I'm glad that we took that moment just to say that, 00:06:31.15\00:06:33.92 "If you are, in that case 00:06:33.96\00:06:36.76 where you are unsuccessful abortion, 00:06:36.79\00:06:40.20 successful-unsuccessful abortion, 00:06:40.23\00:06:43.20 God had a bigger purpose for you, 00:06:43.23\00:06:44.57 God had a plan for your life. 00:06:44.60\00:06:47.10 And rejoice in that." 00:06:47.14\00:06:49.70 And hopefully, you know, the parents realize 00:06:49.74\00:06:53.11 is that God probably did have a better plan, 00:06:53.14\00:06:55.44 and this was a beautiful thing to happen. 00:06:55.48\00:06:57.81 But we don't want to neglect the fact that they are women, 00:06:57.85\00:07:00.48 who made the conscious decision to abort. 00:07:00.52\00:07:05.69 They went, they completed it, it was done, 00:07:05.72\00:07:09.16 and now that they're Christians, 00:07:09.19\00:07:12.89 may be they were Christians before 00:07:12.93\00:07:14.26 but now it's at different level, 00:07:14.30\00:07:15.66 it's that deep connection with God. 00:07:15.70\00:07:18.07 They are feeling this guilt, this remorse. 00:07:18.10\00:07:20.84 How do you heal 00:07:20.87\00:07:22.84 as a female after an abortion? 00:07:22.87\00:07:28.64 How do you heal? 00:07:28.68\00:07:30.61 I mean that's a very difficult... 00:07:30.65\00:07:34.65 I believe that's a very difficult question 00:07:34.68\00:07:37.55 in terms of how do you heal. 00:07:37.59\00:07:41.06 There you have to understand, 00:07:41.09\00:07:45.23 in part you have to understand and accept the gospel of truth 00:07:45.26\00:07:50.00 that "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." 00:07:50.03\00:07:53.50 But that God still gave up His life 00:07:53.54\00:07:57.71 in place of the wrong decisions that you have made, 00:07:57.74\00:08:02.04 that covers the decisions that you make consciously 00:08:02.08\00:08:05.78 and unconsciously or not fully conscious 00:08:05.81\00:08:09.92 of what you were doing at the time, 00:08:09.95\00:08:12.39 and to understand that you don't have to live 00:08:12.42\00:08:15.49 in that guilt, it's more than, 00:08:15.52\00:08:18.83 sometimes I think we know that as factual truth, 00:08:18.86\00:08:23.10 but it's hard for us to receive that, 00:08:23.13\00:08:25.97 that God truly loves me. 00:08:26.00\00:08:28.54 That may be true for the person who just lied or the person 00:08:28.57\00:08:32.07 who just stole something. 00:08:32.11\00:08:34.24 But that may not be true for me, 00:08:34.28\00:08:36.34 once I realize that I've ended a life that God may have, 00:08:36.38\00:08:41.85 you know, wanted me to actually go through with, 00:08:41.88\00:08:46.86 or be there for the process of, and so that it's difficult, 00:08:46.89\00:08:53.03 I would say I can understand, I can relay, 00:08:53.06\00:08:57.20 I can empathize with the difficult reality 00:08:57.23\00:09:00.84 of that process. 00:09:00.87\00:09:02.60 As you were talking, I think it would be difficult, 00:09:02.64\00:09:06.47 and we don't have that experience 00:09:06.51\00:09:08.98 but you know, I know I've two friends 00:09:09.01\00:09:10.35 who've walked that journey, and who in their 20s, 00:09:10.38\00:09:14.38 who made that decision. 00:09:14.42\00:09:16.02 And it haunted them actually 00:09:16.05\00:09:18.95 and it manifested itself in such self-hate. 00:09:18.99\00:09:22.22 They may not know that was at the time 00:09:22.26\00:09:25.06 but in terms of their choices, and how they self punished, 00:09:25.09\00:09:28.23 and until one of them had turn 00:09:28.26\00:09:30.70 during a counseling session 00:09:30.73\00:09:32.97 with a Christian counselor that came out, 00:09:33.00\00:09:35.60 and it just kind of, the flood of tears came 00:09:35.64\00:09:38.24 and it was actually like grief of losing a baby. 00:09:38.27\00:09:42.24 Whether or not it was through abortion 00:09:42.28\00:09:43.61 but for her it was the realization 00:09:43.65\00:09:44.98 that I lost my son 00:09:45.01\00:09:47.48 and I don't know how she knew it was a boy. 00:09:47.52\00:09:51.25 I think she either was told, I'm not sure 00:09:51.29\00:09:53.19 but she had lost her son, 00:09:53.22\00:09:55.16 and you go through a real cycle of grief. 00:09:55.19\00:09:57.66 She allowed herself to go through grief actually. 00:09:57.69\00:10:00.73 Yeah, and by the way this is a grief that 00:10:00.76\00:10:02.53 it's hard to talk to somebody else about. 00:10:02.56\00:10:04.07 It's like you bought it upon yourself that's what she felt. 00:10:04.10\00:10:06.10 I mean, you bought it upon yourself, 00:10:06.13\00:10:07.47 now you're going to grieve, 00:10:07.50\00:10:08.84 so who do you turn to when you carry that guilt 00:10:08.87\00:10:11.64 and the grief at the same time, 00:10:11.67\00:10:13.01 so like you said, difficult is the word. 00:10:13.04\00:10:15.14 Yes, and I've friends too, I've one friend in particular 00:10:15.18\00:10:19.28 who shared with me. 00:10:19.31\00:10:21.32 When I would hang out, we would hang out, 00:10:21.35\00:10:22.88 we would go out, and we would go to the grocery store, 00:10:22.92\00:10:25.32 and there would be a baby crying, 00:10:25.35\00:10:27.22 and she would get so upset 00:10:27.26\00:10:29.76 and just be talking bad about the mom, 00:10:29.79\00:10:31.53 and how the mom needs to get the baby under control. 00:10:31.56\00:10:34.26 And one day we were talking and she shared with me 00:10:34.30\00:10:39.43 that she had an abortion years before 00:10:39.47\00:10:42.34 and that, that is why 00:10:42.37\00:10:45.54 it bothers her to hear a child cry 00:10:45.57\00:10:49.74 because the crying and the dissatisfaction 00:10:49.78\00:10:53.92 of a child she realizes, 00:10:53.95\00:10:57.35 she feels like she is hearing her child cry 00:10:57.39\00:11:00.59 in pain of the abortion, and so that was, 00:11:00.62\00:11:05.86 that's something that I think she is still processing. 00:11:05.89\00:11:10.63 She never went, and necessarily got help for it, 00:11:10.67\00:11:13.84 and there were many bad decisions 00:11:13.87\00:11:17.61 that came, relationship decisions 00:11:17.64\00:11:20.34 that she would have never... 00:11:20.38\00:11:21.71 That she, before the abortion 00:11:21.74\00:11:23.91 when she was in the relationship 00:11:23.95\00:11:25.88 with the young man, 00:11:25.91\00:11:27.85 they were, you know, they weren't married and, 00:11:27.88\00:11:30.45 of course, you should be married 00:11:30.49\00:11:32.65 but they were at least monogamous. 00:11:32.69\00:11:35.79 And that, you know, 00:11:35.82\00:11:37.76 but it was still pre-marital sex 00:11:37.79\00:11:41.26 and but when that relationship ended, 00:11:41.30\00:11:44.07 she was just promiscuous. 00:11:44.10\00:11:45.77 Oh, wow. 00:11:45.80\00:11:47.14 After the ending of that relationship, 00:11:47.17\00:11:49.57 and the abortion of the child, 00:11:49.60\00:11:52.27 I believe heavier the abortion of the child 00:11:52.31\00:11:54.81 caused her to feel like you said, 00:11:54.84\00:11:57.25 a little bit devalued. 00:11:57.28\00:11:59.75 She felt devalued as a woman. 00:11:59.78\00:12:03.49 And that I'm supposed to bring life, 00:12:03.52\00:12:06.92 and I've ended that function, 00:12:06.96\00:12:09.26 and so the other natural functions 00:12:09.29\00:12:12.13 are no longer relevant to me. 00:12:12.16\00:12:16.10 It really is a form of punishing, 00:12:16.13\00:12:17.47 that's punishment. 00:12:17.50\00:12:18.83 I mean, some young ladies listening to us right now, 00:12:18.87\00:12:20.44 who're punishing themselves 00:12:20.47\00:12:22.27 and were haunted by that decision. 00:12:22.30\00:12:25.21 Just from a pastor's point of view if I could, 00:12:25.24\00:12:29.41 I can't give the female perspective 00:12:29.44\00:12:31.55 but there's a word that's important 00:12:31.58\00:12:35.92 and that's repent. 00:12:35.95\00:12:37.45 And I think a lot of these issues 00:12:37.49\00:12:39.05 when we go through that self abuse, 00:12:39.09\00:12:42.39 self defeating behavior is 00:12:42.42\00:12:44.19 because we don't feel like 00:12:44.23\00:12:46.56 we've received the forgiveness that we need. 00:12:46.59\00:12:49.26 And so the first step to that is saying, 00:12:49.30\00:12:51.73 "Hey, God, I messed up. 00:12:51.77\00:12:53.64 I made a mistake." Right? 00:12:53.67\00:12:55.67 And the Bible says that He is faithful 00:12:55.70\00:12:58.17 and just to forgive us, right? 00:12:58.21\00:12:59.67 And so once we believe that He's forgiven us, 00:12:59.71\00:13:02.48 then we're able to walk 00:13:02.51\00:13:04.58 in the newness of that forgiveness. 00:13:04.61\00:13:06.95 And so I want to encourage any young lady 00:13:06.98\00:13:11.02 who's gone through this process, 00:13:11.05\00:13:12.79 and is feeling like they don't have that connection, 00:13:12.82\00:13:16.12 really check and see if you've really repented of this thing. 00:13:16.16\00:13:19.36 If you say at least, I've made a mistake, I'm sorry. 00:13:19.39\00:13:23.03 I won't go down that path again 00:13:23.06\00:13:25.40 and start that process of healing through believing 00:13:25.43\00:13:29.24 that God has forgiven you. 00:13:29.27\00:13:31.51 In my life there's been times where, 00:13:31.54\00:13:33.44 if I didn't feel like He's forgiven me, right, 00:13:33.48\00:13:36.18 then I would still beat myself up about it, 00:13:36.21\00:13:38.45 but if God has forgiven you, 00:13:38.48\00:13:41.18 then you're in a place where you can start rebuilding 00:13:41.22\00:13:44.19 and get to a better relationship. 00:13:44.22\00:13:45.95 True, true. 00:13:45.99\00:13:47.99 As we are talking about women and what they go through, 00:13:48.02\00:13:51.59 I want to also take a moment for men, 00:13:51.63\00:13:54.53 the potential who could have been a father to be. 00:13:54.56\00:13:58.10 And who possibly wanted that baby 00:13:58.13\00:14:02.00 or may be they didn't want the baby 00:14:02.04\00:14:03.37 and now they're thinking about it, 00:14:03.41\00:14:05.47 "Wait, I could have had like a five year old right now, 00:14:05.51\00:14:08.78 I could have had who know may be 00:14:08.81\00:14:10.65 the future President of the United States." 00:14:10.68\00:14:13.35 Depending how far back the abortion was. 00:14:13.38\00:14:18.09 They are going through their own set of realities 00:14:18.12\00:14:20.66 and most of the times it's just like, 00:14:20.69\00:14:22.12 okay, you are a man, suck it up, 00:14:22.16\00:14:23.89 it wasn't your body. 00:14:23.93\00:14:25.29 But technically part of him did die with that abortion. 00:14:25.33\00:14:30.73 So you could talk a little bit about the guy, 00:14:30.77\00:14:32.93 how do we encourage our men who have these feelings? 00:14:32.97\00:14:36.81 I think, the position of healing 00:14:36.84\00:14:43.35 and accepting the love of God still applies, 00:14:43.38\00:14:47.68 definitely still applies and so in which way. 00:14:47.72\00:14:52.12 There is something that the young men 00:14:52.15\00:14:57.43 have something to relate to God about. 00:14:57.46\00:15:00.33 In that you lost your child, 00:15:00.36\00:15:03.16 that you've experienced the death of your child, 00:15:03.20\00:15:06.27 and so that for me just highlights the gospel 00:15:06.30\00:15:11.54 in what happened. 00:15:11.57\00:15:12.91 Now, it's not in fullness, it's definitely not in fullness 00:15:12.94\00:15:17.55 but there is an understanding that God understands grief. 00:15:17.58\00:15:21.22 And to know as a man that God understands grief, 00:15:21.25\00:15:25.75 that the Father God understands grief 00:15:25.79\00:15:28.56 and that even Jesus Christ 00:15:28.59\00:15:30.93 understood the reality 00:15:30.96\00:15:35.70 that everyone will not fully accept Him, 00:15:35.73\00:15:38.83 that His children will die or something outside of God... 00:15:38.87\00:15:45.31 God has the potential, right? 00:15:45.34\00:15:47.01 So I'm just going to say it clear. 00:15:47.04\00:15:48.38 God has the potential 00:15:48.41\00:15:50.01 to control each and every one of us. 00:15:50.05\00:15:52.95 God has the ability is a better, 00:15:52.98\00:15:55.78 you know, better term. 00:15:55.82\00:15:57.29 But God chooses to allow us to make our own decisions, 00:15:57.32\00:16:02.52 God restrains Himself. 00:16:02.56\00:16:04.49 And so for the young man 00:16:04.53\00:16:06.49 that could not force the young woman or the man, 00:16:06.53\00:16:12.63 the grown man who could not force the woman 00:16:12.67\00:16:16.37 to make the decision that he wanted her to make. 00:16:16.40\00:16:20.64 There's something that you have relatability with God on 00:16:20.68\00:16:26.31 because God also does not force us 00:16:26.35\00:16:30.29 but still suffers the consequences 00:16:30.32\00:16:33.36 of the decisions that we make. 00:16:33.39\00:16:35.86 And so being able to know that you do not grieve alone, 00:16:35.89\00:16:39.96 and that it's okay to cry, and it is okay to hurt as a man 00:16:40.00\00:16:44.73 because of that loss, 00:16:44.77\00:16:46.53 is something that is definitely present 00:16:46.57\00:16:49.07 in the gospel message. 00:16:49.10\00:16:50.77 You know, and I've met men who have come to my office, 00:16:50.81\00:16:54.81 who had that grief but especially 00:16:54.84\00:16:57.51 because they were the ones who said, "Do it, 00:16:57.55\00:17:00.75 I don't want to deal with this baby right now. 00:17:00.78\00:17:02.42 I want you to get rid of it." 00:17:02.45\00:17:03.85 And as they've grown, they get to know the Lord, 00:17:03.89\00:17:06.22 that too is in their mind like I caused this, 00:17:06.25\00:17:08.62 you know, this woman to make this decision 00:17:08.66\00:17:11.16 because I wasn't willing to take that responsibility. 00:17:11.19\00:17:13.93 And I think, this idea that you present, Dajanae, 00:17:13.96\00:17:18.47 about forgiveness, and grief, and forgiving yourself, 00:17:18.50\00:17:23.34 forgiving the young person that you were, 00:17:23.37\00:17:24.87 what you knew at the time, 00:17:24.91\00:17:26.68 and just coming to speak to somebody and say, 00:17:26.71\00:17:29.54 "I just need relief from this guilt as well too." 00:17:29.58\00:17:32.58 So there're men who probably saying to us, 00:17:32.61\00:17:34.88 we're going through that as well, 00:17:34.92\00:17:36.25 and God's forgiveness is real, 00:17:36.28\00:17:38.25 and can be experienced, even for them, even for you. 00:17:38.29\00:17:40.86 Yeah. 00:17:40.89\00:17:42.22 I believe it. Yeah. 00:17:42.26\00:17:43.63 It's, it's... 00:17:43.66\00:17:44.99 I can't imagine it in talking, talking that's all I can say 00:17:45.03\00:17:50.87 because you mentioned something and guys hear this a lot, 00:17:50.90\00:17:54.84 this is my body, right, 00:17:54.87\00:17:56.20 especially as it relates to abortion, 00:17:56.24\00:17:57.57 "This is my body, 00:17:57.61\00:17:59.01 I've got to carry this child for this period of time." 00:17:59.04\00:18:02.38 And so at the end of the day, the man's hands are truly tied. 00:18:02.41\00:18:08.02 In this instance, there is really nothing, 00:18:08.05\00:18:10.75 that they could do, so recovering after that, 00:18:10.79\00:18:13.76 dealing with it after that, I think being transparent, 00:18:13.79\00:18:16.59 finding some individuals that you can confine in 00:18:16.62\00:18:19.33 and say, "Hey, I am feeling this way." 00:18:19.36\00:18:21.60 And not allowing that loss in that particular situation 00:18:21.63\00:18:25.50 to cause you to go and do something, 00:18:25.53\00:18:27.84 to kind of make up for that loss, right, so... 00:18:27.87\00:18:30.44 Right, they can have another baby. 00:18:30.47\00:18:31.81 Right, you can take somebody else, right? 00:18:31.84\00:18:33.91 Right. 00:18:33.94\00:18:35.28 And you make a mistake in the midst of a mistake 00:18:35.31\00:18:38.25 having already been made. 00:18:38.28\00:18:39.61 Yeah. 00:18:39.65\00:18:40.98 And so it takes really, really trying to be patient 00:18:41.02\00:18:46.15 through that thing and understand that thing, 00:18:46.19\00:18:48.29 asking God to give you clarity, and really talking to people. 00:18:48.32\00:18:50.56 And his perspective. Yes, his perspective. 00:18:50.59\00:18:52.79 Yeah, and really talking to people 00:18:52.83\00:18:54.36 because I can imagine that, 00:18:54.40\00:18:56.20 that's a difficult thing to deal with. 00:18:56.23\00:18:58.53 And it's not only difficult for the woman and the father, 00:18:58.57\00:19:03.04 it's also difficult for anyone else 00:19:03.07\00:19:04.51 who probably would have known about it. 00:19:04.54\00:19:05.87 Yes. 00:19:05.91\00:19:07.24 If the young man ran and told his mom, 00:19:07.28\00:19:09.34 "She lost a grandchild." 00:19:09.38\00:19:10.71 Yes. Right. 00:19:10.75\00:19:12.38 Sisters lost that potentially is their nephew. 00:19:12.41\00:19:14.48 Right. 00:19:14.52\00:19:15.85 And that's one thing that you have in the back of your head. 00:19:15.88\00:19:19.42 Right. 00:19:19.45\00:19:20.96 It may not have been the child that was in your womb 00:19:20.99\00:19:23.86 but it is part of your heart. 00:19:23.89\00:19:25.23 Right. 00:19:25.26\00:19:26.59 And one thing that... 00:19:26.63\00:19:27.96 I remember one of my professors was talking about 00:19:28.00\00:19:29.63 when he deals with women who have had abortions, 00:19:29.66\00:19:32.87 I would break this up to even a widest spectrum 00:19:32.90\00:19:35.90 for the grandmother, the potential aunty, 00:19:35.94\00:19:39.84 the uncle, the father, another child's memory. 00:19:39.87\00:19:45.61 Abortion is something that, it's truly broken, 00:19:45.65\00:19:52.29 it creates this level of brokenness in humanity 00:19:52.32\00:19:55.76 that we can't even fully begin 00:19:55.79\00:19:59.23 to fully comprehend and understand. 00:19:59.26\00:20:01.83 The brokenness, everybody gets torn open 00:20:01.86\00:20:04.80 when it comes to children. 00:20:04.83\00:20:06.17 We hear all types of different levels of hurt, 00:20:06.20\00:20:08.90 abuse, crimes, misfortunes, but when it comes to children, 00:20:08.94\00:20:13.24 it's always something that touches the heart 00:20:13.27\00:20:15.44 and breaks you. 00:20:15.48\00:20:17.35 And when you come to this point as a Christian and it hits you 00:20:17.38\00:20:21.05 that someone who could have been here was taken away, 00:20:21.08\00:20:23.85 especially if you didn't fully understand 00:20:23.89\00:20:25.45 what you were doing, 00:20:25.49\00:20:26.82 especially if you didn't fully grasp the fact 00:20:26.86\00:20:28.19 that this was a person 00:20:28.22\00:20:30.83 that God wanted into this world. 00:20:30.86\00:20:35.43 The world may not hold you accountable for it 00:20:35.46\00:20:37.20 but you feel like you need to hold yourself 00:20:37.23\00:20:38.73 accountable for it. 00:20:38.77\00:20:40.40 And coming to God and saying, 00:20:40.44\00:20:43.34 "Lord, I know that this was wrong, 00:20:43.37\00:20:47.28 I know that this should not have happened, 00:20:47.31\00:20:51.68 and I'm feeling broken inside." 00:20:51.71\00:20:55.18 You have to say, "Lord, I need you to heal me, 00:20:55.22\00:20:57.95 I need you to start doing something. 00:20:57.99\00:20:59.59 Show me who to talk to, show me who to relate to, 00:20:59.62\00:21:02.36 show me is there specific group I need to find support in" 00:21:02.39\00:21:06.80 'cause there are abortion support groups. 00:21:06.83\00:21:09.06 Sure. 00:21:09.10\00:21:10.43 And one thing, again, my professor was saying is 00:21:10.47\00:21:12.13 to have a memorial service. 00:21:12.17\00:21:14.40 Yeah. 00:21:14.44\00:21:15.77 That's one firm way of having, I don't want to say closure 00:21:15.80\00:21:18.87 'cause you don't really get 00:21:18.91\00:21:20.24 over the fact of losing a child, 00:21:20.28\00:21:21.84 but it brings some sort of healing to the table, 00:21:21.88\00:21:25.18 where you actually say, let's have a little box, 00:21:25.21\00:21:28.78 put a little something in that could have been for the baby. 00:21:28.82\00:21:31.62 Dig a hole and bury and then say a few words. 00:21:31.65\00:21:34.12 To say, express or get whatever it is off your chest, 00:21:34.16\00:21:36.96 write a letter, do these different things. 00:21:36.99\00:21:39.76 And we don't want to say that we have all the answers 00:21:39.79\00:21:42.30 to heal you from whatever it is you're going through. 00:21:42.33\00:21:45.60 God is the first one who has the healing plan, 00:21:45.63\00:21:47.64 has the healing elements and you need to talk to God 00:21:47.67\00:21:50.01 and say God, "Who else do I need to speak to. 00:21:50.04\00:21:52.21 You led me to this program, what else do I need to go to 00:21:52.24\00:21:55.74 because I'm realizing the mess that I put myself in 00:21:55.78\00:21:59.01 and the mess I put others in." 00:21:59.05\00:22:00.38 Yes. 00:22:00.42\00:22:01.75 And I want to find redemption, but there are people 00:22:01.78\00:22:04.35 who're looking at this and they are like, 00:22:04.39\00:22:05.72 "I don't feel anything." 00:22:05.75\00:22:07.09 That's true. 00:22:07.12\00:22:08.46 They're like I did it... 00:22:08.49\00:22:09.82 And that's true. 00:22:09.86\00:22:11.19 And there is, I think that 'cause it's true 00:22:11.23\00:22:14.43 and I think that sometimes with a lot of things, 00:22:14.46\00:22:20.60 since, you know, that one may partake in, 00:22:20.64\00:22:25.07 you may not feel the effects of it right away. 00:22:25.11\00:22:27.68 You may not even feel the effects of it 00:22:27.71\00:22:29.88 two, three, five years from now but you are affected. 00:22:29.91\00:22:34.95 And so I think, some people misunderstand 00:22:34.98\00:22:38.85 being affected and feeling affected. 00:22:38.89\00:22:43.22 Those two things are different. 00:22:43.26\00:22:45.06 You may not feel affected but you are, 00:22:45.09\00:22:50.67 you made a decision, a huge decision, 00:22:50.70\00:22:54.97 no matter how old you were, 00:22:55.00\00:22:56.44 no matter where you were in your development, 00:22:56.47\00:22:58.37 you made a huge decision and you are affected. 00:22:58.41\00:23:01.34 You make decisions either consciously or subconsciously 00:23:01.38\00:23:06.01 based on that decision that you made, 00:23:06.05\00:23:08.25 that's just the reality of life. 00:23:08.28\00:23:09.98 As we mature, as we grow, as we become adults, 00:23:10.02\00:23:15.99 and even mature through adulthood, 00:23:16.02\00:23:18.56 each decision makes us a part of who we are, 00:23:18.59\00:23:21.96 each decision, because we have to take responsibility for us, 00:23:22.00\00:23:26.50 even if we don't take responsibility 00:23:26.53\00:23:28.20 for our decision, right? 00:23:28.24\00:23:29.84 It is something for the first time, 00:23:29.87\00:23:32.84 I was able to make this decision. 00:23:32.87\00:23:34.84 Does that make sense? 00:23:34.88\00:23:36.21 Like, I was able for the first time 00:23:36.24\00:23:38.31 to make such decision and that can be empowering 00:23:38.35\00:23:42.38 or that can place a certain amount of fear 00:23:42.42\00:23:45.12 inside of us 00:23:45.15\00:23:46.49 because I now realize 00:23:46.52\00:23:47.96 that I'm capable of making a harsh decision. 00:23:47.99\00:23:52.99 There is another friend that I have, 00:23:53.03\00:23:55.73 who, you know, shared with me the effects 00:23:55.76\00:23:58.57 that she's begun to feel, 00:23:58.60\00:24:00.40 have been based on, she feels like a mother. 00:24:00.44\00:24:05.31 She said, "I feel like a mother when I see...' 00:24:05.34\00:24:08.68 Cause before I got pregnant I didn't care about kids, 00:24:08.71\00:24:11.21 little kids, I didn't want little kids around me, 00:24:11.25\00:24:13.62 you know, anything like that." 00:24:13.65\00:24:15.38 She was like, " I wasn't an affectionate person 00:24:15.42\00:24:18.35 but after having my abortion, 00:24:18.39\00:24:23.49 I understand my mother's love in a way 00:24:23.53\00:24:27.00 that I never understood my mother's love before. 00:24:27.03\00:24:30.77 I care for little children as I see, 00:24:30.80\00:24:34.20 you know, they may be making, 00:24:34.24\00:24:36.17 you know, small decisions 00:24:36.20\00:24:37.54 that may cause them to fall down or, 00:24:37.57\00:24:40.34 you know, get hit by a car because you run in the street," 00:24:40.38\00:24:43.28 like these parental instincts, 00:24:43.31\00:24:46.38 she said, "Kicked in, after my abortion." 00:24:46.41\00:24:50.89 And so there are so many side effects, 00:24:50.92\00:24:54.66 lifelong side effects to having an abortion, 00:24:54.69\00:24:59.13 whether you realize it or not. 00:24:59.16\00:25:01.73 When she said, "I feel like a mother." 00:25:01.76\00:25:03.10 I'm telling myself, uh, she is a mother of a child 00:25:03.13\00:25:06.00 who is gone and that's why the grief is so deep. 00:25:06.03\00:25:09.34 That's true. That's true. 00:25:09.37\00:25:10.71 And I just want to speak to the idea 00:25:10.74\00:25:12.81 of an individual not feeling any type of weight after this 00:25:12.84\00:25:16.85 and I think, if you find yourself ever in a situation 00:25:16.88\00:25:19.81 where you've committed a sin 00:25:19.85\00:25:21.58 and you don't feel bad about it. 00:25:21.62\00:25:23.52 If you are a Christian, 00:25:23.55\00:25:24.92 then you definitely need to have a gut check. 00:25:24.95\00:25:27.59 There really needs to be a discussion 00:25:27.62\00:25:29.56 between you and God, I mean because Romans, 00:25:29.59\00:25:32.43 Romans is one of my favorite chapter, 00:25:32.46\00:25:34.56 goes through this list of things 00:25:34.60\00:25:37.10 that humanity has begun to do from homosexuality 00:25:37.13\00:25:40.87 to just all type of craziness and not feeling bad about it. 00:25:40.90\00:25:46.37 And God says, okay, well, here is the thing, 00:25:46.41\00:25:48.48 I'm going to let you do this, 00:25:48.51\00:25:49.84 I'm going to turn you over to your wicked ways 00:25:49.88\00:25:52.01 but understand this, there is a response, 00:25:52.05\00:25:55.15 there are some repercussions to this. 00:25:55.18\00:25:57.75 And so, if I'm a Christian 00:25:57.79\00:26:00.39 and I've gone through something, 00:26:00.42\00:26:02.06 made a bad decision, and I'm sitting back 00:26:02.09\00:26:03.89 and I'm like," 00:26:03.93\00:26:05.26 Hey, I don't feel any type of weight about that." 00:26:05.29\00:26:07.10 I should be concerned, 00:26:07.13\00:26:08.80 we should be because that means, 00:26:08.83\00:26:10.80 I'm now in a position 00:26:10.83\00:26:13.20 where I'm doing things that directly oppose God. 00:26:13.23\00:26:15.07 Right. 00:26:15.10\00:26:16.44 And I'm saying as a Christian, I don't have a problem with it. 00:26:16.47\00:26:18.97 Right. 00:26:19.01\00:26:20.34 'Cause there is a reality 00:26:20.38\00:26:22.21 that the Spirit of God is with us all, 00:26:22.24\00:26:25.48 the Spirit of God convicts us, 00:26:25.51\00:26:27.45 the Spirit of God encourages us. 00:26:27.48\00:26:29.85 And so if you're saying 00:26:29.88\00:26:31.95 that you do not feel the effects of sin, 00:26:31.99\00:26:36.26 then that means you are rejecting 00:26:36.29\00:26:40.70 what the Spirit of God is trying to communicate to you, 00:26:40.73\00:26:44.27 and so that's nothing to boast about. 00:26:44.30\00:26:46.23 Oh, you might feel some type of weight, 00:26:46.27\00:26:47.70 you know, people will say. 00:26:47.74\00:26:49.07 You may feel some type of weight. 00:26:49.10\00:26:50.44 You may bring your feelings about it 00:26:50.47\00:26:51.81 but I've made my feelings about it, 00:26:51.84\00:26:53.51 it's bigger than feelings and emotions. 00:26:53.54\00:26:55.78 It's much bigger than that. 00:26:55.81\00:26:57.15 And that's completely the case the way it is. 00:26:57.18\00:27:01.55 And I love the fact 00:27:01.58\00:27:02.92 how long we have been discussing right now, 00:27:02.95\00:27:04.99 it brings to the fact that for our church communities, 00:27:05.02\00:27:07.62 local communities for women, men 00:27:07.66\00:27:10.49 that are dealing with the fact that an abortion has happened. 00:27:10.53\00:27:13.86 We need to support them 00:27:13.90\00:27:15.23 realizing that there are deep emotional hurts 00:27:15.26\00:27:18.63 that are going on, 00:27:18.67\00:27:20.00 so of course we want you 00:27:20.04\00:27:21.37 to keep on having that discussion, 00:27:21.40\00:27:22.74 not only have a discussion, get into action mode. 00:27:22.77\00:27:25.61 What can you do to support women, men 00:27:25.64\00:27:29.04 who are considering abortion 00:27:29.08\00:27:30.45 and who have actually had the abortion? 00:27:30.48\00:27:32.28 How can you help them come about and have healing? 00:27:32.31\00:27:34.62 It's not about judging them, and condemning them, 00:27:34.65\00:27:37.09 and reminding them what they did wrong. 00:27:37.12\00:27:40.76 Yes, we should tell them that they did something wrong 00:27:40.79\00:27:42.82 but you also need to bring about that healing process, 00:27:42.86\00:27:45.76 so that they can be where they need to be. 00:27:45.79\00:27:48.56 For the wages of sin is dead but God, who He is, 00:27:48.60\00:27:51.83 He redeems us. 00:27:51.87\00:27:53.77 So go forth in that redemption 00:27:53.80\00:27:55.70 and let that be your pure choice. 00:27:55.74\00:27:58.01